Physical & Developmental Disorders of the Nervous System

Flashcards of vocabulary terms found in the lecture notes.

Hydrocephalus

Abnormal accumulation of CSF in the brain.

Choroid Plexus

The structure in the first or second ventricle that can cause overproduction of CSF, leading to hydrocephalus.

Aqueduct of Sylvius

The narrow passage where obstruction can lead to CSF accumulating in hydrocephalus.

Dandy-Walker Syndrome

A congenital cause of hydrocephalus.

Arachnoid Cyst

A congenital cause of hydrocephalus, filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Chiari Malformation

A congenital cause of hydrocephalus.

VP Shunt

Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt; a primary treatment for hydrocephalus, draining fluid from the ventricles to the peritoneum.

External Ventricular Drain

A short-term treatment for hydrocephalus used in hospitals to drain excess fluid and monitor intracranial pressure.

Neural Tube

Primordium of the brain and spinal cord.

Anencephaly

A neural tube defect where a baby is born without parts of their brain and skull.

Spina Bifida

A neural tube defect due to incomplete closure of the vertebra and the neural tube in utero.

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)

A deficiency of this vitamin is a risk factor for neural tube defects.

Spina Bifida Occulta

A type of spina bifida with a gap in the vertebrae, possibly with a tuft of hair, but no herniation.

Spina Bifida Cystica

A type of spina bifida with protrusion of the spinal cord and/or its meninges.

Meningocele

A type of spina bifida where meninges protrude.

Myelomeningocele

A type of spina bifida where the spinal cord and meninges protrude.

Alpha-fetoprotein Test

A test performed at 16-18 weeks of gestation to diagnose Spina Bifida.

Craniorachischisis

A rare neural tube defect with both anencephaly and spina bifida.

Microcephaly

Condition where a fetal brain grows slowly, more than three standard deviations below normal.

Encephalocele

A cranial meningocele where meningeal and cerebral tissue protrudes through a skull defect.

Cerebral Palsy

Disorder characterized by impaired movement and posture resulting from an abnormality in the extrapyramidal or pyramidal motor system

Spastic Cerebral Palsy

The most common type of cerebral palsy, characterized by a hyperactive stretch reflex and clonus.

Athetoid Cerebral Palsy

Marked by involuntary, uncoordinated motion with varying degrees of muscle tension.

Ataxic Cerebral Palsy

A lack of coordination caused by disturbances in the kinesthetic and balance senses.

Rubella, German Measles, Cytomegalovirus, Chickenpox

Infections of these during pregnancy can cause CP.